CHAPTER 11: FUDGE

Buffy waited impatiently for Fudge to answer the door. Thoughts raced around her head, as Buffy quickly examined the pros and cons of different actions. She didn't have that much time to decide.

There were so many factors, and so many consequences.

Rustling could be heard from inside, and Buffy assumed Fudge was finally coming to answer the door.

He destroyed her and her family's lives. He put Sirius in Azkaban without trial. He was purposefully making Harry's life hell.

She had to choose.

The door swung open, revealing a chubby little man that was slightly balding and getting along in his years.

Choose! Choose! Choose!

"May I help you?" Fudge asked, looking curiously at the young blonde.

Buffy made up her mind, looked at the man who had no clue who she was, and smiled. "I really hope so," Buffy said in her best 'have pity for me' voice.

"I'm sure I can fix any problems you have," Fudge said with a flirtatious smile. "Why don't you come into my office, and we'll get started?"

'Unbelievable,' Buffy thought with disgust. 'He doesn't even know my name!'

Buffy smiled gratefully and walked past him through the open doorway, trying to keep herself from touching him.

His office was amazing, although Buffy shouldn't have been surprised; he's the Minister of Magic! There was a couch and a couple of chairs surrounding a fireplace in the far right corner. A desk and some chairs were set up in the immediate area, and off to the side, Buffy could see a small drink bar. There was a hallway to her left that showed more closed doors, which Buffy had no real desire to open.

The entire area looked more like a lounging facility than an office of the Minister of Magic. The carpet was soft and dark blue under her feet. The walls were all painted a light blue, blending nicely with the carpet. Obviously, someone else had done the decorating, Buffy thought as she noticed his tacky coat and bowler hat placed upon a coat rack to her right.

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable," Fudge announced, closing the door and gesturing to the comfortable chairs near the fire. "And then we can solve this problem of yours. Drink?"

"No thanks," Buffy said, looking away before she did something stupid. She walked over and sat in one of the dark red chairs, avoiding the couch, which could fit more than one person.

Fudge pulled one of the chairs closer to her own, and Buffy subtly moved backwards. "Now, I didn't catch your name," he said, collapsing in his chair.

"I'm Sarah, Sarah Fox," Buffy said.

"Nice to meet you," Fudge said, extending his hand.

Buffy looked at it for a moment, before carefully extending her own. She knew refusing would look strange, so she just kept her emotions carefully in check as she shook his hand.

The hand of the man that had ordered her killed.

Buffy's mask dropped for a second, and a look of revulsion crossed her face, but Buffy quickly recovered before Fudge noticed.

"So, what seems to be the problem, Sarah?" he asked once Buffy took away her hand, a bit too quickly for his liking.

"This is going to sound really stupid," Buffy said, looking down at her hands, rubbing the one on the seat cushion discretely.

"Nothing you said could sound stupid," Fudge tried to assure.

"It's just... I work for you downstairs, and none of the guys take me seriously," Buffy complained.

"What department do you work for? I'll go have a word with those guys, tell them to leave you alone," Fudge said.

'Like that will work,' Buffy thought. 'This is the guy they have in charge?'

"I want a new job. They won't ever let me do anything because they think I'm a stupid blonde!" Buffy whined, careful to not to say a department, in case he decided to check later.

"Well, I'm sure I can look and see what's available," Fudge said.

"I don't want a job here! Everyone's the same!" Buffy said. "I want to start somewhere new where no one will know me. Then I can show them all that I'm better than them."

"My secretary just quit, so why don't you come work for me? I have Weatherby at the moment, but he can be promoted again, I guess. I won't treat you like a dumb blonde, and I'll make sure you're quite comfortable."

'You have got to be kidding me,' Buffy thought.

"No offence, because you seem like a really nice guy," Buffy said, "But I want a job where I can be in charge of someone else."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"Um..." Buffy thought, bringing her hand up to twirl a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. "I know! A school! I know I'm not qualified to be a professor, but it would be perfect! Students have to listen to me, and I'd get the respect that I'd deserve!"

Fudge cleared his throat and said, "Well, I don't think any of the schools are hiring."

Buffy's expression dropped dramatically, and she took out her secret weapon. Her pout. "Well, I read in the paper that you got Dolores a job at Hogwarts, and I thought that maybe you could give me one too . . . I mean, you are the Minister of Magic..."

"I do believe I can think of something for you," Fudge said, caving at her pout.

"Really?" Buffy said excitedly. "That's so great! I've always wanted to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," she confided.

Fudge almost laughed out loud at the idea that this skinny, blonde girl would be an effective DADA teacher. No one would take her seriously. It was absurd... it would infuriate everyone at the school... it was perfect...

"Miss Fox, I believe that I can get you that job," Fudge said. "You don't even need teaching experience. You'd be a natural. We have a new curriculum that we're starting, so even if you make a mistake or two, no one would notice."

Buffy squealed with delight and clapped her hands together. Then, as realization seemed to dawn on her, she said, "But what about the teacher that's already there? I don't want to put someone out of a job . . ."

Fudge thought about what he'd do with Dolores Umbridge as she was his best mole into the Hogwarts situation. "She can become... High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. They need someone like that there to make sure everyone follows the rules and such. It's a brilliant plan!"

Inside, Buffy groaned. She didn't want this Umbridge person there. It would complicate matters too much. But she didn't have much of a choice. "Thank you so much Minister!" Buffy said with a fake smile plastered on her lips. "You've made my dreams come true! When can I start?"

"Since it's Friday, you can begin on Monday if you'd like. That way you'll have the weekend to prepare. How does that sound?"

"That's brilliant!" Buffy said, standing up. "Thank you so much! I can't wait to go home and tell Charles! He'll be thrilled! He always hates it when other guys bother me. He gets so jealous sometimes," Buffy said before Fudge could get any ideas on how she could thank him.

"Of course, why don't you go home and I'll owl you all the information you'll need?"

"You're the best Minister ever!" Buffy said. "Thanks again, and have a wonderful evening." She walked out the door, ending the conversation rather abruptly, as she couldn't stand to be in the same room with him any more.

She closed the door behind her, leaving a confused Fudge behind.

She leaned against the door, closed her eyes, and let out a slow breath. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw her friends waiting for her at the end of the hall. Pushing off the door slightly, she walked towards them.

"So?" Willow asked.

"We didn't hear any crashes, so we figured you didn't kill him," Anya said bluntly.

"Nope. I didn't even hit him, thought God knows my hand was itching for it," Buffy said.

"What'd he say?" Giles asked.

"You mean when I explicitly said, 'Remember me? The girl you sent to her death so many years ago?'" Buffy said.

"You didn't tell him! Buffy," Willow chided.

"Well, a better idea came up," Buffy said. "I have a job."

"Wait, you went in there for some sort of revenge, and you came out with a job? How does that work?" Xander asked.

Buffy told them about the conversation she overheard and her idea to become a professor at Hogwarts. "Now I can see Harry without having to give away my real name."

"You're not going to tell him who you really are?" Giles asked incredulously.

"Not right away. I think playing the dumb blonde girl will make people less suspicious and more forthcoming with the information. I haven't been back in the wizarding world for some time now. I have no idea what's going on, and until I have some answers, I think it's best to remain incognito."

"Answers like, why Fudge wanted to kill you in the first place?" Xander asked.

"One of many," Buffy said. "Unfortunately, as a professor, I'll have to live at Hogwarts, and I think bringing you guys along wouldn't be very inconspicuous," Buffy hinted gently.

"Oh," Willow said, a little hurt.

"Not that I don't want you guys there, because I would love to show you the castle. It's amazing, and I'm sure you'd love it, but..."

"You can't bring us. I understand," Willow said.

"Well, what are we supposed to do, and where are we supposed to go?" Anya asked. "If you didn't notice, our homes are gone."

"I'll help you look for a wizarding flat, that way I can keep in contact with you from the floo network. I won't desert you in England."

"I'd hardly call it desertion," Giles said, "I am English you know. I lived here for quite a while, and not so long ago either."

"You know what I mean," Buffy said gently. "Anyway, we'll be in touch. Constantly. I promise. I'll need to have someone who knows who I am, or I might go crazy. Plus, I'll need your help finding Sirius and Remus; spending all my time at Hogwarts will only get me information. And you can come visit me at Hogsmeade. It's a great wizarding village near the school. You'll love it."

"Okay," Willow said.

"Will you get paid for it?" Anya said, as always concerned about money. "Because you told them you're Sarah Fox, and since Sarah Fox doesn't exist, then who'll they write the checks too? Do they even have checks? Maybe they'll pay you in cash!" Anya said, getting excited.

"I'm not sure... but I guess I'll find out," Buffy said, looking at Anya strangely.

"Yes, you should do that."

"So are we going to go get an apartment now?" Willow asked excitedly.

"Actually, no. I want to go down to the Auror headquarters and see what they have on Sirius. It could prove useful."

"That's a good idea, Buffy," Giles said.

"Sarah," Buffy corrected.

"Of course. Shall we?" Giles asked, indicating the lift. Once again, they all got into the elevator and Buffy looked at the numbers uncertainly.

"I think it's the third floor," Buffy said, pushing the button.

They rode the elevator down and the doors opened, while a female voice called out: "Level Three, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, including the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, Obliviator Headquarters, and Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee."

"Nope, not this one," Buffy said. "It's organized in levels of importance. I think. So, maybe it's two." She pressed that one and waited while the doors closed and the elevator rose.

"Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."

"Yep, that's us," Buffy said, happy she guessed correctly.

Buffy lead the group out of the lift and into a corridor lined with doors. They turned a corner, walked through a pair of heavy oak doors, and emerged in a cluttered, open area divided into cubicles. A lopsided sign on the nearest cubicle read AUROR HEADQUARTERS.

"Here we are," Buffy said quietly. She walked around, looking at the different cubicles and the objects that littered each desk. She didn't know exactly where she was supposed to go, but she figured she'd find it eventually.

It was getting late, so most people had already headed home; however, there were a few people still hanging around.

"May I help you?" one of the aurors asked, as he noticed the large group that didn't belong.

Buffy turned towards the voice and saw a tall, bald black man standing next to his cubicle. He looked like he was about to leave. "Yes, I was told by the Minister to come and check the progress on the search for Sirius Black," Buffy said, walking towards his cubicle.

She noticed a very slight flicker of his features; if she hadn't been looking closely, she might have missed it.

"You can tell him I've been looking, but we still can't find him. I've just got a possible sighting in South Africa that I'm going to follow up on. It's probably nothing though."

By the time he had finished his sentence, Buffy had come close enough to his cubicle to look at the hundreds of pictures of Sirius looking at her from every direction. Old newspaper clippings were taped up, and other pictures were hung around. Her heart stopped for a moment, as she looked at the man that she had grown up with.

He had changed so much; 'twelve years in Azkaban will change anybody,' Buffy thought. His eyes no longer held the laughter that she had grown so fond of. In fact, they reminded her of the eyes she saw in the mirror every day. He looked like he hadn't eaten in years, or bathed, for that matter. 'He's going to need a haircut,' Buffy thought briefly, allowing herself to focus on something other than how dead he looked.

"Obviously you've been busy," Buffy said, noticing the map with tiny red pins glowing on it. Buffy's gaze caught on a picture that looked fairly old. 'James and Lily's wedding,' Buffy thought, tears coming to her eyes. She looked longingly at the happy, smiling couple and of a much younger and handsomer Sirius laughing. She wished she could have been there. She was supposed to have been there.

"Yeah, he's giving us a run for our money," the man said. He noticed the way Buffy was transfixed by the picture, but assumed that she was like everyone else: upset over the tragic deaths of the Potters, and the apparent betrayal of Black.

"Do you have any leads?" Buffy asked, forcing her tears down and her voice to sound normal.

"We get owls everyday, about some sighting. They never pan out though," he said.

"Thanks," Buffy said, walking away. "I'll be sure to let the Minister know you're working hard."

As she walked back to her group, they looked at her questioningly. She didn't say anything until they were back in the privacy of the lift. "They all think he did it," Buffy said. "The newspapers, the aurors, the minister, they all think he did it. They have a world-wide search going."

"If they can't find him, what makes you think we can?" Anya asked.

Buffy didn't say anything, because on some level, she thought Anya might be right. "Well, I've got something they don't," Buffy finally said.

"What's that?" Willow asked, curious.

"You guys," Buffy said with a smile. "We have yet to fail at something, once we put our minds to it. I have to have hope."

"We will find him," Willow said, inspired and touched by what Buffy said.

"I know." The rest of the ride was silent, and finally they reached the atrium again. Walking out, Buffy said, "So let's go find you a flat!"